TRAINING & CAREER PATHWAYS

Professional phone skills do not come naturally to everyone. Understanding how to listen to a caller's needs, then finding the most appropriate solution to their issue requires an understanding of customer service etiquette.

The Call Center Agent Course is a training program designed to teach participants the core competencies required to deal with customers over the phone. Once the training is complete, students will take the call center agent certification exam to prove their understanding.

This Call Center training program will focus on:

• Prepares participants for call center jobs
• Provides key tasks, general knowledge, and soft skills needed for call center agent etiquette
• Training includes:
  • How to serve people, what callers want, common situations, rate of speech and more
  • Participants receive a certificate and transcript endorsed by the Management & Strategy Institute upon completion

* Recommended for all Office positions, specifically for Call Center & Work From Home jobs.

Get everything you need to launch your truck driving career. Portsmouth@Work offers a CDL training program to help you earn your Class A CDL through ATI’s Fast Track Training Program. Requirements to participate:

• Portsmouth resident at least 21 years of age
• High School Diploma or GED
• 3-hour preassessment preparation course
• Pass Virginia Department of Transportation Drug Screening and Health Exam
• Driving Record History and Criminal background checks (No barrier crimes)

Hampton Roads Transit DriveNOW is a unique career readiness initiative designed to boost qualified applicants in the transit business who may otherwise face barriers to full employment.

DriveNOW training will prepare participants to become a bus operator through training. In preparation to become an HRT Bus Driver, participants will obtain a Commercial Driver’s License learner’s permit, be provided a uniform allowance and provided career readiness training. Once hired, participants will receive additional on-the-job training to earn a Class B Commercial Driver’s License. After successful completion of the program, participants will be offered full-time employment with HRT as a bus operator.

Participants receive a SmartStart Credential which includes:

• • TABE Assessment
  • ACT National Career Readiness Certification (NCRC)
  • New World of Work 21st Century Skills Certificate (Digital Badges)

Personal Care Aides (PCA) play a critical role in helping the elderly and other ailing individuals to be able to stay in their own homes instead of having to move into a facility. This is such an important and rewarding job, and the families appreciate the care and assistance PCAs provide them.

If you have your sights set on becoming a PCA, training is now available online. You can access course materials online any time of the day or night so that you can learn at your own pace. When you complete our online course, you will be able to get a job with your PCA certification, recognized by the State of Virginia. Portsmouth@Work can assist with a list of employers hiring after you pass the course. 

Interested adults 18 and older are invited to begin the Personal Care Aide training if they desire to work in this incredible and important field of health care. The home healthcare industry is one of the fastest-growing job markets in America, with a high demand for compassionate, skilled people who are passionate about providing excellent care for others.

The SmartStart Credential is designed to help adult learners gain the skills they need to be successful in today’s economy. The job training program prepares participants for middle-skill level employment by helping them learn and practice good work habits and the effective communications skills you need to secure meaningful employment.

SmartStart participants are prepared to take the WorkKeys test, which includes: Applied Math, Graphic Literacy, and Workplace Documents, which qualifies students for the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC). Employers seek candidates with an NCRC regardless of the candidate’s educational background. The professional certificate signals to employers that applicants have the skills necessary to be effective in a job.

Participants receive a SmartStart Credential which includes:

• TABE Assessment
• ACT National Career Readiness Certification (NCRC)
• New World of Work 21st Century Skills Certificate (Digital Badges)

Recommended for jobs in Office & Hospitality, including Rivers Casino.

START Hospitality offers flexible and concise instructions on how to perform key tasks, along with the general hospitality knowledge and soft skills needed to succeed in a front-line position in the hospitality industry. This hospitality job training culminates in a career certification exam leading to a professional designation. ​

Certification in hospitality education gives job seekers a competitive edge over non-certified candidates. It may also increase job retention and lead to opportunities to earn higher wages. ​

Programs for individual positions include the following sections: ​

• All Employee Knowledge ​
• Position-Specific Knowledge ​
• Job Breakdowns ​

Successful candidates who complete the START Hospitality Program and pass the certification exam for that position will receive a certificate and lapel pin. ​

Participants receive a SmartStart Credential which includes:

• TABE Assessment
• ACT National Career Readiness Certification (NCRC)
• New World of Work 21st Century Skills Certificate (Digital Badges)

Prepares participants for hospitality and retail-specific jobs. Recommended for Hotel, Office & Retail.

This self-paced, online course will help participants find a work from home position quickly. Participants will learn how to work from home, be introduced to a variety of work from home positions and careers, and then be connected with work from home job openings.

• Approximately 9 hours of training included.
• Log-on at any time and complete the modules at a pace that works for you.
• Once registered, you’ll have access for as long as necessary to complete the course. Some restrictions apply.
• A Certificate of Completion is issued via download when the course is complete.
• Grants participants access to industry-specific job boards & the inside tools, tricks, and resources connected to over 350,000 work from home job openings.

YouthBuild is a community-based pre-apprenticeship program that provides job training and educational opportunities for at-risk youth ages 16-24 who have previously dropped out of high school.

YouthBuild participants earn money while they get valuable hands-on experience building quality houses. They will gain work-based education including vocational and basic academic skills training that leads to industry-recognized credentials, employment placement, or apprenticeships, and prepare them for post-secondary education programs. The program lasts six months with follow-up supportive services for the period of one year.